Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has raised questions about athlete pay disparities after Sean Strickland’s public dispute with the organization, particularly highlighting the substantial purses awarded to Zuffa boxing competitors.
Speaking ahead of UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, Sterling expressed confusion over the financial structure that allows certain athletes under the Zuffa LLC umbrella to earn significantly more than UFC champions. The issue came to a head when he referenced Conor Benn’s reported 15 million dollar payday for a boxing match that ended in a second-round loss to Ryan Garcia.
“I just want to know where’s the money coming from and how could we make it make sense,” Sterling stated. “You see these Zuffa guys who are under Zuffa, LLC like the UFC coming in and making 15M for a match and then they go out there and compete against a Ryan Garcia and get crushed in like what? Two rounds.”
While Sterling acknowledged satisfaction with his current compensation, he believes former champions deserve higher pay rates, especially when other athletes who have never held a title receive substantially better deals. The disparity becomes more apparent when comparing UFC purses to those in the boxing world under the same parent company.
Sterling challenged the long-standing argument used by UFC management that higher pay would reduce motivation.
“If I get paid more, I’m going to want to compete more. I’m going to want to make more money and cash out as much as I can on my youth,” he explained. “I don’t want to have to take matches because I’m too old because I didn’t make enough money.”
The two-time champion also questioned the source of boxing’s inflated purses, expressing skepticism about where massive paydays originate beyond traditional revenue streams like gate receipts and merchandise sales.
“We’re going to an arena. They’re selling tickets. They’re selling merch. They’re selling food. That gate is the gate. Where is this imaginary inflated number where these guys get a $100 million dollars, $10 million, $20 million for a match?” Sterling asked.
Regarding Strickland’s current standoff with the UFC, Sterling firmly sided with athletes seeking better compensation.
“I think anyone arguing that against the athletes that is a athlete is brain dead,” he said, suggesting that proper pay structures would benefit both fighters and the organization by ensuring athletes can secure their financial futures and obtain health insurance coverage.
